Speed loaders are commonly utilized by law enforcement agencies to provide a means for rapidly and simultaneously inserting a plurality of cartridges into a multiple chamber firearm such as a revolver. One commercially available speed loader is in the form of a cylindrical drum having a diameter corresponding to the diameter of the revolver's cylinder. The speed-loading drum is formed with circumferentially spaced chambers precisely corresponding in both spacing and size to the chambers in the revolver's cylinder. The cartridges are stored within the speed loader by inserting each cartridge base into a chamber of the speed-loading drum until a clicking sound is heard at which time a spring projecting into the bottom of the drum chamber captivates the cartridge rim. To release the cartridges, they are simultaneously inserted into their respective chambers in the revolver's cylinder by grasping the revolver's cylinder with one hand and moving the speed-loading drum with the other hand in juxtaposed position with the revolver's cylinder. Thereafter, a spring-releasing knob on the face of the speed loading drum facing upwardly towards the user is manually rotated to bias the springs out of the drum chambers, enabling the cartridges to release from the drum and fall into their respective chambers in the revolver's cylinder.
The above-described speed loading drum is uncomfortable to carry in either a pocket or clipped to the user's belt, primarily due to the bulkiness of the drum, i.e., corresponding in diameter to the revolver's cylinder. The speed-loading drum is also somewhat heavy, considering its size and overall volume. It is expensive to manufacture as it requires extremely fine tolerances.
It has been proposed to provide link type cartridge speed-loading devices such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,614,053 to Billman, issued Sept. 30, 1986. This prior art loader consists of a series of links each of which is shaped and proportioned so as to secure a cartridge by clipping around a partial circumference at its base. These links are joined together to provide the proper number of cartridges for a specific firearm. Once secured in the loader, the cartridges may be stored or transported in either a flat or rolled position. When rolled, the cartridge links clip together at the open ends such that the axial center lines of the cartridges correspond in radius to the center lines of the chambers in the revolver's cylinder. Thus rolled, the cartridges may be simultaneously inserted into their respective chambers in the cylinder and the links may be pulled away to release the cartridges into the chambers, thus rapidly loading the firearm.
The loader of the '053 patent relies upon individual links made of firm elastic materials that are sized and proportioned such that the cartridges of a specific caliber will snap or clip into or out of each link. During loading, therefore, a large amount of force must be exerted to rotate adjacent links about hinge pins (disposed to define rotational axes between the adjacent links) so as to spread the elastic cartridge engaging portions away from the cartridge base to allow the cartridge to fall into the revolver's cylinder. Further, by locating the rotational axes between adjacent links, i.e., between adjacent cartridges, an undesirable lateral or radial force component tends to act upon the cartridge base as the links rotate about the offset axes; this lateral component of force can inadvertently cause the cartridge base to `pop out` from its chamber in the revolver's cylinder, defeating the basic function of the loader. Of course, by locating the rotational axes between adjacent links, additional parts in the form of hinge pins are disadvantageously necessary to manufacture the speed loader.
Another disadvantage of the above-identified device is the inability of the device to automatically assume a rolled configuration that would enable the cartridges projecting from the device to be easily matched and quickly inserted into the chambers of the revolver's cylinder. Although another rapid speed loader as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,891,437 to Milmore utilizes a plurality of springs to bias a series of articulated cartridge holders into a rolled configuration, these springs are mounted in a vulnerable or exposed position to the links and are therefore easily susceptible to damage that would render the loader inoperable.